Computing devices such as desk top computers, lap top computers, servers, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), cell phones and other types of hand held computing devices, are well known today. Each such computing device includes a user interface to control the device including all computer programs within the device. Known user interfaces include a visual display to display information, command options, web pages with links to other web pages, lists of URLs in a “book-mark” list, etc. A known “pull-down” or “drop down” menu typically includes multiple command options or links, arranged in a column. The user interface also typically includes a mouse and keyboard to make selections from the display, such as to select a command option or link which is displayed. Some user interfaces also include voice recognition software to recognize user commands or selections which are spoken.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,686 discloses a rotate user control to selectively change the current display item within a group of display items. Each actuation of the rotate control changes the current display item from one item to a next item within an internally non repeating, ordered sequence loop of all candidate display items. Each display item within the group is displayed in turn. An indicator provides a visual cue to the user of which display item is currently selected for display.
US2004/0217990A1 discloses a Drop Down Menu Program having an Item Selection Program, a Sorting Program, and a Recall Program. The Item Selection Program eliminates the need for the user to hold down the shift key or the control key while making multiple selections. Instead, the user may activate a menu item to highlight it, and activate the menu item again to remove the highlight. The user may also open and close the drop down menu. The Sorting Program organizes the menu items in order of frequency of use. The Sorting Program also provides ascending and descending sort buttons that allow the user to sort the menu items in ascending or descending alphabetical, numeric, or chronological order. The Recall Program creates a recall list of selected menu items when the user activates a recall button. The recall list can be displayed and removed independent of opening and closing actions of the drop down menu.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,481 discloses an auto selecting scrolling device for viewing and making selection of a parameter from a menu. When a device, used to scroll through a menu, is activated the menu appears. A timer with a user preset time limit is started. As long as the scrolling device is being used to scroll through the parameters in the menu, the timer is reset. While the scrolling is taking place, the parameters are not only highlighted but also magnified. If the menu is no longer being scrolled through, then the timer expires upon attaining the user set limit. When the timer expires, the last highlighted parameter is selected and the menu is closed.
An object of the present invention is to facilitate user selection of menu options.